My Life Without You
by lois lane is my hero
Summary: Lois and Clark finding each other, losing each other and finding each other again.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

They stood there in the caves. Staring into each other's eyes. Holding on to each other's arms. Not wanting to let go. Knowing that they would not see each other for a very long time. His hand caressed the side of her face and she allowed a lone tear to fall. His thumb caught the tear and he gently wiped it away. She smiled weakly at him. She loved him. She knew that. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. Despite the banter, the insults, the arguments, the denials. She had fallen head over heels for one Clark Kent. And he in turn fell for her. As they stood there, it felt as if it was the end of the world. Words were not enough. Their eyes and touches saying more than words ever could. She would not see Clark for years… she would not remember her Smallville… her brief time in cohabitation with the Kents… the meteor freaks… none of it. Destiny was such a bitch.

She had moved into the apartment above the Talon. The one that had been occupied by Lana the Pink. She had purposely removed anything that had been used by Lana. Since Lana and Chloe were sharing a dorm Lana didn't need her furniture. So, Lois decided to sell it, with Lana's permission, and gave the money to her. Then she had to disinfect the place. She knew that Clark and Lana had done the deed. And she wanted to get that image right out of the apartment. The idea was just too disgusting to imagine. It bothered her a lot. Images floated around in her head. She hoped that it wasn't going to be that difficult to live there, knowing what had happened. It was sex. And people have sex all the time. But it was just … Clark. Sweet, innocent, naïve Clark. Somehow, she thought, he'd wait longer for this, waited for someone else, not for Lana. Least of all Lana. Lana was Chloe's friend and admittedly there was an obligatory friendship involved. She did like Lana but she was just too good, too sweet for her own good. She looked over the apartment and breathed it in. The smell of disinfectant satisfying her urge to purge anything that resembled Lana or Clark. Satisfied, she flopped onto the bed and slept.

It was night and he was moping. He stared out the telescope staring at the stars. They seemed to calm him when he was … what was he? Upset? Confused? He shook his head. And sat down on the couch his head in his hands. He had everything. He had Lana. He wanted Lana since forever and he had her. But it wasn't what he expected. Okay, he thought, he and Lana did the most intimate act that could happen between two people. But he felt empty now. Lana had moved to Metropolis with Chloe. And these days without her were just empty. He loved Lana. He was sure of it. But did he love her because he wanted to or because he was supposed to? Had he conditioned his brain to love Lana? Had these years of wanting Lana sweep any other train of thought away from him? What did he like about Lana, really? So, she was beautiful, she was nice, friendly, dresses well… nice. That was a short list. He knew nothing about her really. Nothing below the surface. Frustrated, he decided to go for a run. A very long run.

Lois bolted awake. She had a nagging feeling that someone was there. She sat up in bed, listening to any sound of a break in. Even though she didn't hear anything she still had this feeling that someone was there. She reluctantly got out bed dragging her blanket and wrapping it around her. She walked downstairs into the Talon. She walked through the darkness to the doors and was surprised at what she saw. Clark Kent sitting on the kerb. Head in his hands. She quickly opened the door.

"Smallville?"

He turned. Only one person called him that. "Lois."

He stood up and walked over to her. "Sorry, if I woke you."

Lois grunted. "You didn't wake me. This stupid intuition woke me. You just happened to be here."

He gave a small smile. Not knowing how to proceed. He hadn't planned on ending up here. He had run to the limits of Smallville, through farms, around the lake and he just happened to stop here. Unable to think. Unable to have a coherent thought. He was just empty. Lois, not liking awkward silences, invited him inside for coffee. He nodded in agreement. As he wandered up the stairs to somewhere familiar. He was surprised to see that the apartment looked completely different to what he remembered.

"The apartment… you've made it your own," he mumbled, remembering the last few times he had been here. Looking back on them with an air of reminiscence. Supposing, perhaps, that's the only time that he had been really happy with Lana.

"Yeah, well. The pink was starting to get to me. And it smelt a bit funky. Like a poodle or something," she replied, handing Clark a coffee filled mug.

They stood on either side of the kitchen counter. Silence. There was something wrong here. Something very wrong.

"Okay. Spill it, Smallville. You're not just here to sip coffee and admire my work on your girlfriend's former apartment."

Clark nearly choked when Lois had said 'girlfriend'. Now that Lana was in Metropolis and he in school and having to help on the farm he rarely had time to see her. Even with his superspeed. When he had been on the phone to her it was all small talk. About nothing in particular. He could feel himself drifting. He could feel them drifting apart. He sighed and blew into his coffee.

"Fine. Don't say anything. Although, that look on your face is awfully familiar. The pity party face, coupled with a pining for a certain brunette. Although, why this look should reappear is just a mystery," she said. "You really don't want to happy. Mopey."

He glared at her. "I do want to be happy."

"And I am happy," he added as an afterthought, although Lois wasn't thoroughly convinced.

"Sure you are, Smallville. You just keep telling yourself that," she smiled and gently took the coffee mug away from his hand, as Mrs. Kent had done the second time they met. "You should go home, Clark. It's late and Ma and Pa Kent might think I've corrupted you."

Lois was being too nice. And Lois thought she was too. Very unlike her. But she couldn't help it. He wasn't happy and probably wasn't in the mood to be bantering. Plus, she was tired and couldn't put on the act while she was tired. Because that's what it was, an act. Not that she ever let on that it was.

"You called me Clark," he said softly to her, as he made his way out.

She grinned. "Bye Smallville."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Author's Notes:

Some parts might seem familiar to other fics but that was not my intention.

---

Clark Kent didn't know the exact time or date he fell in love with Lois Lane. But he did know he was in love. Standing there in the caves, making the decision together to be without each other, was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. He had had to give up a lot during his life because of who he was. And Lois was just another casualty of the life he led. As the cave opened up, there was a bright light that enveloped both of them. Clark held Lois's face in his hands, gently caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. Brushing the tears away. He cannot believe Jor-El convinced him to do this. He cannot believe that he let him. As the light grew brighter and stronger he never lost his grip on Lois and never tore his eyes away from her face. He was going to love her forever. No amount of convincing could persuade him otherwise.

---

The first time Clark Kent told Lois Lane he loved her she laughed at his face. The second time he said it she sighed and changed the subject. The third time he said it she looked him straight in the eye and said, "Take it back."

It was not that Lois was adverse to the idea of love. It was just that Clark was so fickle. He loved everyone. He thought everyone was fabulous, good, kind-hearted, wonderful, etc. Clark's history was a testament to that. He was in love with Lana without even meeting her, just by seeing her when he was five. An infatuation that had plagued him most his life so far. And Clark barely knew Alicia when he convinced himself that he loved her. So, when it was Clark's turn to say "I love you" to Lois, she would have none of it. He was going to have to prove it.

A year after Lana had started at Met U Clark and Lana had broken up. It was inevitable and not a surprise to anyone. The distance was too much and they had indeed grown apart. On top of that, they had nothing in common. Clark was more in love with the idea of her rather than actually in love with her. Their conversations were dull and Clark had to admit, Lana was dull and not a very good girlfriend. When Lana was accepted into Met U she hadn't even told Clark she applied nor the fact that she was moving. What bothered him the most, Clark finally allowed himself to realise, was how self-centred she was. He spent most of his time with her making sure that she was okay. She spent very little time, if any, on wondering whether Clark was okay.

Lois had settled in wonderfully in the apartment above the Talon. Any remnants of anything vaguely Lana-like had disappeared and now the apartment belonged and felt like it had always belonged to Lois. She was getting ready for her Friday night alone in front of the television, rewatching romantic comedies to lull herself to sleep and to make her escape from her tiny little life. It was on one of these Friday nights, a wet and rainy one that Clark had turned up at her door. He was thoroughly soaked but it didn't look like he felt it. When she answered the door all he said was, "Hi."

She opened the door wider to let him in. He stood in the middle of her apartment. Water dripping down his clothes. She placed a hand gently on his arm. "Clark?"

He turned to face her. The water dripping down his hair and onto her head and face. He wiped those away gently with his fingers. He fingers linger for a moment on her face, then as if he realised what he was doing, retracted them quickly.

"Do you mind if I stay here tonight?" he asked.

Lois's look made him press on. "It's just that mom and dad are in Metropolis for the weekend and it's a bit lonely in the house."

"Even with Shelby in the house," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Even with Shelby in the house."

"Well, then I suppose you could stay," Lois replied. "There are some towels in the bathroom and you can put your clothes in the dryer so you have something to wear tomorrow."

She made her way back to the couch, unpausing her film. Very aware of Clark's eyes watching her all the time. When she heard the bathroom door closed she breathed a sigh of relief. Farmboy was making her nervous and she didn't like it one bit.

He was surprised at how clean her bathroom was. And how her bathroom smelled of her. He slowly peeled the clothes off himself. He didn't know why he was here. He was just lonely. Sitting in his loft all night wasn't his idea of fun. He was torturing himself in the loft. Having a 'pity party' as Lois called it. Everyone had left him. Pete, Chloe, Lana. The only constants in his life so far were his parents and Lois.

"Lois," he whispered quietly.

He felt his head droop and he caught his head with his hands. Gently rubbing the self-pity from himself. He grabbed the towels from the towel rack, used one to dry himself and the other to wrap around his waist. He could have easily dried the clothes with his heat vision but thought better of it. Lois might get suspicious. He grabbed the pile of wet clothes from the bathroom floor and left the bathroom.

Lois heard him leave the bathroom and without missing a beat said, "The dryer's in the laundry. Turn left, and it's 2 doors down."

Lois's eyes never moved from the television set in front of her. It's not like she didn't like having Clark there. She would usually spend her Friday nights alone so this was different. She heard Clark walking back and then felt his presence behind her as he stood. Hesitating.

"I don't have any clothes."

Lois scoffed. "Well, you're the genius who decided not to keep dry. Ever heard of an umbrella?"

Lois stood up, looked Clark up and down and walked past him and walked into a room. She reappeared a few moments later holding out a blanket.

"I'm sorry, I don't have it in red," she said as he took the blue blanket off her. "And we're back to day one. Huh, imagine that."

Clark and Lois sat on the couch watching the film, finally getting over the slight surprise of the situation and gently moving into the comfortable banter that usually existed. Clark fell asleep before Lois and when he fell asleep she decided it was time to go to bed too. She gently moved him further into the couch, lifting his legs so that the whole of him was resting on the couch. She moved the blanket to cover him. She smiled. Having company on what was once a lonely Friday night wasn't too bad.

Subsequently, Clark had invited himself over every Friday night after that. Although, not spending the night, on his parents' orders.

"It's just you and me. Isn't it Clark?" Lois said as Clark returned to the couch after a toilet break.

Clark looked confused. "Okay, what just happened between me going to the bathroom and me returning?"

He sat beside her, the movie still going on in front of them.

"I was thinking."

"I suppose that can be strange. Especially the first time."

That remarked earned him a slight punch on the arm.

"I mean it's just you and me in Smallville. Everyone else has moved on, progressed. And me and you are stuck here. It's slightly depressing, that's all," she said as she then turned her attention back on the movie.

"Why don't you try and get out of here then?'

She sighed. "What am I going to do Clark? Up and leave and go to Met U? There's got to be more to life than that."

"Like what?"

Lois was staring at the television and Clark only saw the side of her face. And he watched her face brighten slightly.

"Like saving the world."

"I don't think they're running courses on that at Met U."

"No, I don't think so either."

She paused slightly, choosing her words carefully. "I was thinking of going back to Europe. Travel, track Lucy down, gain a world life experience."

She paused before continuing, as if she was awaiting a reaction. But Clark didn't give her one.

"Actually," she said slowly. "I wasn't just thinking about it. I'm going to go."

Big silence.

"So it'll just be me in Smallville."

"I guess so."

"It's the end."

"What?"

"Of the movie," he said as he pointed to the television screen. "It's the end of the movie."

"Yeah, it is."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I had this chappy written in January I have no idea why I didn't post it. Anyway. There's a lot of flicking between past and present. I hadn't really planned the structure out. I was just writing. I know where this story is going. Just getting there is the hard part. Enjoy!

- Have also changed pen name. was perSEFIni (I think) am now jamie's girl (an allusion to my favourite singer Jamie Cullum)

CHAPTER THREE

Lois could feel herself falling faster and faster into the light. She tried to grab onto Clark but he was too far away. She could feel herself drifting and drifting. As the light grew bigger she had to shield her eyes with her arms. And then there was black. When Lois opened her eyes again she was no longer in the caves. In fact she had no idea where she was. Then she remembered. "Clark." She sat herself up to find that she was in a bedroom that she didn't feel like home. She tried to remember what had happened. She vaguely remembered a light. And Clark. Sadness and pain. The more she tried to remember the less she could remember. She opened the drawer of the bedside table next to her and found a pen. "Clark," she made herself say. She brought the pen to the back of her hand and began to write his name before she forgot. She had a sickening feeling that she would forget. She barely even made it to the C when the bedroom door opened.

"Lois, you're awake."

She looked up and stared into the face of someone she knew.

"Bruce."

Lois promptly dropped the pen. Forgetting about the misshapen, half formed C on the back of her hand.

---

Lois sat at the breakfast table stirring the cereal in front of her, stifling a yawn with her free hand. Bruce looked across the table at her. She was deep in thought. He could tell. She had been stirring the cereal ever since Alfred had brought it to the table. The cereal had turned into considerable mush. He turned the page of his newspaper and would glance from the newspaper to her. She was wrinkling her nose. A sure sign that she was in deep concentration. He continued to stare at her and she could feel his eyes on her. For one who didn't like uncomfortable silences she was being very good at being silent, Lois's eyes caught Bruce's.

"What?'

"You seem … distracted," he put delicately.

She frowned. Lois felt … empty? She shook her head. That wasn't the right word.

"I just don't remember quite how I got here," she said just as delicately.

Bruce folded the newspaper and placed it on the table. Lois knew this was a sure sign that he was going into serious territory.

"I found you passed out on my doorstep late last night," he said.

Lois raised an eyebrow. "You or Alfred?"

He waved it off. "That's beside the point."

"Well, I don't remember getting drunk. The last thing I do remember is…" she pondered hard, "Smallville."

"What were you doing in Smallville? I know for a fact that you weren't visiting Chloe, since she's in Metropolis. And if you had been in Smallville how did you get here without a car."

She sighed and continued to stir her cereal. She hated not knowing. She had turned up at Bruce's doorstep numerous times without any memory of how she got there but this was different. She didn't know why but she could feel it.

"I suppose we'll never know," Bruce said.

Which wasn't comforting to either one of them.

Bruce tried to change the subject. "So, what do you have planned for today?"

Lois shrugged. "Nothing. I suppose I might go to Metropolis to visit Chloe. Maybe beg Perry for a job."

"Anymore thoughts about Met U?"

She shook her head. "Formal education isn't for me. I need real life experience."

Bruce stood up and grabbed the bowl with mush inside it and placed a new bowl in front of her and watched as she filled it with milk and cereal.

"How about you, Brucey. Anymore thoughts about a partner?"

He stared at Lois. Ever since he revealed that he was Batman she was gagging for a spot on the team. But he would have none of it. It was one thing to put himself in danger, it was another to put Lois Lane in the same position. But she never tired of asking. She felt herself capable of being a sidekick, if not the superhero.

"I could be Batgirl. Tight leather jumpsuit and stiletto black boots. Criminals would get distracted by me and then you can whoop their ass," she said, finally taking a bite of her breakfast.

"Batgirl? So, you're going to be riding my coattails?"

She shrugged. "That would be one way to get an education."

"But not even Batman can guarantee your safety," he countered and then paused before continuing. "I was worried about you last night or this morning or whenever it was you arrived."

He sat back down in front of her. Trying to catch her gaze as she purposely gazed into her bowl. Making a decided effort not to notice this. He saw that and sighed. Lois Lane remained silent. It was fun to play house with Bruce. Turn up and live together. Innocently. Take a jab at him, tease him, getting into his Batman lair. But anything beyond friendship was hard to imagine at this point. She didn't know why. But this caped crusader just didn't spark with her. He was not the steel to her flint. She had once had a conversation with her cousin Chloe about Bruce. And they listed the 'good'. He was rich, handsome, kind, generous and not to mention a superhero (which she didn't tell Chloe but added to the list). The 'bad' list was empty. But there was just something about Bruce that didn't get her heart racing. And she couldn't, for the life of her, think of anybody who did that. All she wanted was her heart to race with her man of steel.

---

Clark had woken in the caves. He was lying still on his back, his eyes searching the roof of the cave. He didn't know how he got there. He was sure that the blame lied solely on Jor-El. Most cave related problems were because of Jor-El. He lifted himself off the ground and brushed the dirt from his clothes, and from his gold and red plaid shirt. A smile formed on his lips as he brushed the dirt off his shirt. He liked this shirt, it was his favourite. His mother kept on telling him that if he kept on wearing it, it would fall to pieces in the washing machine. But he insisted that nothing was going to happen to the shirt. Brushing his thoughts away his mind wandered back to the cave. Annoyed that he had no memory of what had occurred. This was becoming far more frequent than he would have liked, this amnesia thing. He remembered vaguely about his return to Earth in a bolt of lightning, at the beginning of his senior year, and then again when he was trying to stop thief robbing the contents of the Talon's cash register. After giving the cave a once over, to see if he could spot any clue to this latest blank in his mind, he sighed and left. He was sure he was missing something but for the life of him he couldn't think of what it was.

METROPOLIS 2010

Clark Kent never imagined he'd be in Metropolis of all places. He had spent the past 4 years struggling to fill the emptiness that was inside of him. Even though the void was smaller than it had been before he still felt as if he was missing someone. His abrupt departure from Smallville was fuelled by this emptiness, this gap, this hole inside himself. He had become restless and frustrated and decided to seek answers, taking Central Kansas University correspondence courses as he travelled the globe. His parents had made him do that at least. But in his travels, helping people, learning about different cultures, he still didn't feel whole. By some weird intuition he had decided that his journey had ended and flew back home to Smallville and looked up someone who owed him a favour. Perry White, the current editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. The world's most famous newspaper. Home to the world's greatest investigative reporter, Lois Lane. He had read her articles around the world. Hers was a famous name the world over. Lois Lane. It had a nice ring to it, he had decided. It was a name that rolled right off the tongue.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: Ok, I'm going to be more structured now. Thanks for the reviews (Hopefully. The plan is all in my head, which may or may not be a good thing). Sorry about typos and the shortness of length.

So basically so far, Clark and Lois in the caves then goes back to them in SV before they were a couple and then back to them in the caves and then back to before they were a couple, then back to the caves and then Lois mysteriously turns up at Bruce's house which occurs after the caves, Clark after the caves, Clark years later. Hope me trying to explain timeline wasn't confusing.

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Chapter Four

Lois stared around her apartment. It was empty now. All her belongings had been put into storage. She had packed the essentials in her meagre luggage. Traipsing around the world with suitcases wasn't her plan. Her plan … her plan was non-existent. She was going to be dropped off in France, on her own. Start there and work her way around the continent. She sighed. She had direction now yet why didn't she feel … purposeful?

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She grew a small smile.

"You forget how to knock, Smallville?" she said as she quickly turned around to greet him.

"Well, I figured why ruin the element of surprise," he said as he stepped in the apartment. He looked around wistfully and wore a look on his face that she couldn't decipher.

"Here to wish me bon voyage?"

She moved closer toward him. Arms folded in front of her. A wry grin on her face.

He didn't reply. And she couldn't figure out what that look on his face meant. Usually she could decipher all things Clark Kent. He was so transparent, she thought. But it wasn't transparency. It was the ability to read someone you know well. But she didn't think that. Not at that moment anyway.

"Well…" she prompted.

"Just here to help you with your bags. Don't want you coming back because you forgot something," he said finally, eyes resting on her lone bag.

She tilted her head to the side. Neither were good at saying good byes, one of them weren't good at expressing their feelings and the other wasn't good at having feelings.

"Look, Smallville. How about we make this less awkward," Lois said as she turned and grabbed her bag. "We'll shake hands and I jump onto the airport shuffle and be on my way to playing 'Where on Earth is Lucy Lane?' "

She stuck her hand out for him to take. He looked at it for a moment before taking it in his and shaking it gently. And when the handshake ended Clark let his fingers glide slowly down her open hand.

"My, my. Not one for words today," Lois teased.

He didn't say anything.

"Okay then …" Lois began, slightly perturbed by his silence. "We did the shake hands thing so I'm just going to pop downstairs and see if my shuttle's here."

On cue a loud beep beep came from the street below. "And it appears as though it has arrived."

And still no response from Clark.

"It's been interesting. Good, interesting and quiet. See ya Clark."

She pushed past him, confused about Clark's behaviour when she felt him grab her arm.

She didn't turn around.

"Don't go."

His voice was full of sadness. It was not pleading or begging. It was a question. A request. And now Lois had choices.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Ack. My plan … I swear I have one. It's a bit short and jumpy.

JaysHeartsDesire – Yes, that last chapter was before the cave bit and before Lois waking up on Bruce's doorstep. I've decided to now put rather vague dates on things.

Enjoy.

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Chapter Five

Metropolis 2010

When Perry White introduced Clark Kent to the world famous Lois Lane he swore that he already met her. Those eyes, that hair. She looked familiar. He had seen photos of her but in person was something else. It's like she triggered a feeling. A memory. Memories.

Lois on the other hand was too incensed to notice Clark Kent. She couldn't believe Perry had sidled her with a partner. She was an award winning journalist and she didn't need some newbie following her every move. Screwing up her investigations. She sized him up with her eyes. He was tall and handsome, she had to give him that. The glasses were jarring but endearing. He could be of use, she thought to herself. He looks like someone who could take a bullet or two for the sake of a story, she added.

When Perry left them alone she quickly turned on her heel and led him to their adjoining desks. She slapped her hand on the desk to indicate that it was his and then like a game show prize model pointed to her own desk. Overrun with papers and posts-it, chocolate bar wrappers and empty coffee cups.

"Now, if you don't get in the way of me and a story we should be fine," she stated as she sat down behind her desk before opening up a new document and beginning to type.

Clark was unsure of what to do. She was obviously working on something and he was new. He was sure that she was supposed to be showing him how to do something. Giving him a guided tour or explaining the process of how she obtained the current story that she was writing. But she did nothing but ignore him. Lois was still angry over having to share her byline and the idea that she needed help. A partner insinuated that she couldn't do things on her own. And she resented that. But that's not what a partner's for and Lois still needed to learn that.

------------------

Smallville … years ago.

Two words. Not even two words, Lois mused. A contraction and then a word and she found herself doubting her once purposeful actions. She hadn't turned around and he hadn't let go of her arm.

"Lois?" she heard him say tentatively.

And she slowly found her voice. "You're just so lost without me, aren't you, Smallville?"

She slowly turned around to face him. Gently placing her hand over his hand that had captured her arm. She gently moved his arm off hers and then let go of his hand.

"I just … I just don't want you to go," he said. "I don't know why but I don't want you to leave."

"You don't know why?" she asked quizzically, her eyebrow raised.

He sighed. He had his suspicions. He looked forward to those Friday nights at Lois's apartment. The times when his mother would make him invite Lois to dinner. Just being around Lois was completely different. After their interesting introduction and their subsequent interactions, he knew that there was something about Lois. Not that he'd ever admit that to her. She was that spark. That energy that made the room that little bit different when she'd enter it. When Lois Lane entered a room it was hard not to want to look at her or speak to her. It was like everything she did commanded attention. And Clark watched her. Watched her more than she knew. But then what did all this mean? She wasn't Lana or Chloe. These feelings were something new.

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Metropolis 2010

"Lois, you're not invincible. You shouldn't be chasing down criminals for quotes without me. There is a high possibility that they could kill you. Did you ever think of that?"

Lois rolled her eyes. She had heard this before and though the sentiment was there, she would pay it no heed.

"If you were around more, then I wouldn't have to keep chasing down criminals by myself now would I?" she declared, arms akimbo.

He stared at Lois. Cocky and confident. Defiant. Dangerous.

"Besides," Lois continued, "if anything bad was going to happen, Superman would save me."

Clark ran his hand through his hair. Frustrated.

"But what if he couldn't?"

That was the thought running through his head as he rescued the residents of a burning building across town. He would hear if anything bad was going to Lois. But if it had happened, he couldn't just leave the people trapped in a burning building. On his way back to the Daily Planet, he wondered what choice he would make. Lois or everyone else.

Lois frowned at the suggestion. "Don't be putting ideas into my head. I might have second thoughts about chasing criminals without my trusty sidekick."

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Smallville … years ago

Lois could hear the impatient and persistent beep of the shuttle.

"Clark … I have to go."

She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and as she left the apartment she never looked back.

Clark just stood there. Replaying the scene in his head. Thinking of things he should have said. Lines that he had rehearsed as he was inching closer and closer to the Talon. This was not how he envisioned it. He was going to tell her to stay and she would stay. She wouldn't just leave. Walk out of his life for an undetermined amount of time. And he didn't know why it hurt so much.

He walked around the empty space and found himself leaning against a wall. He sank down to the ground. A feeling of helplessness and emptiness drowning him. He was completely alone.

"You know I probably should have finished my sentence."

There she was standing in the doorway. Bag on the floor, hands on her hips. Completely in the moment.

She made her way towards him and stood next to him as he looked up at her. "I was saying that I have to go and tell the shuttle bus driver that I didn't need a lift to the airport."

She made her way down to Clark's level.

"You're not leaving?"

"Well, you put forward an enticing argument against it. A slightly short and vague one but compelling nonetheless," she said with a grin. "I'm not really in the mood to play detective anyway."

She felt him lay his head on her shoulder and felt the wetness of his tears. She moved one arm over Clark's shoulder and the other under his face, embracing him and cradling him in her arms. Placing her chin on his head as he continued to cry quiet tears. "I know, Clark. I know."

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End file.
